Merck KGaA strengthens rare disease pipeline with $1.3bn Silence acquisition

Merck KGaA is acquiring biotechnology company Silence Therapeutics for approximately $1.3 billion, a move that is set to advance siRNA medicines for rare and speciality diseases.

Silence’s siRNA candidate Divesiran is currently being developed for the rare blood cancer polycythemia vera. By increasing hepcidin production, Divesiran reduces excessive production of red blood cells, which is the main characteristic of the disease.

Iain Ross, Interim Principal Executive Officer and Chairman of the Silence Board said: “This transaction follows potentially best-in-class Phase II polycythemia vera data for Divesiran and reflects the important progress we have made advancing our differentiated siRNA pipeline.

“It also provides a new home for our innovative programmes within Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, placing Divesiran with a company that has the scale, resources and commercial capabilities to accelerate its Phase III development and bring this potentially best-in-class siRNA therapy to patients in need.”

The planned acquisition of Silence Therapeutics will strengthen our capabilities to serve patients with targeted specialty and rare diseases”

Kai Beckmann, Chairman of the Executive Board and Group CEO, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Kai Beckmann, who joined Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany as Chairman of the Executive Board and Group CEO in May, added: “The planned acquisition of Silence Therapeutics will strengthen our capabilities to serve patients with targeted specialty and rare diseases.

“Following the acquisition of SpringWorks Therapeutics last year, we continue to transform our pipeline toward areas of high specialisation and unmet medical need, with an ongoing commitment to external innovation. The proposed transaction follows Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany’s strategic priority to address attractive end markets also through M&A, creating value over the mid- to long-term.”

This latest deal between Merck KGaA and Silence Therapeutics is expected to close in Q1 of 2027 and is subject to certain customary closing conditions.

The deal follows Merck’s earlier $6.7 billion haematology-based investment in Terns Pharmaceutical in March. It involves TERN-701, a potential best-in-class candidate for chronic myeloid leukaemia.